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Welcome to ShowbuzzDaily’s coverage of the upcoming TV schedules for the 2011/12 TV season! Above you see our guide to what to expect on Monday nights this Fall: the numbers are our projected Adults 18-49 ratings for each show; the capitalized titles are the new shows; and italics are for shows changing their time slots. Here’s our analysis of what will really be going on behind the numbers:
Although CBS will leave its schedule fairly stable, with just one new show (the sitcom TWO BROKE GIRLS with Kat Dennings), they face the biggest challenge of the night: keeping 2 ½ MEN a hit without Charlie Sheen. We think the loss of Sheen is going to lower their rating at 9PM, but that the show will still perform strongly for them, and they should continue to hold steady for the night.
NBC’s Monday was a disaster this past season, with THE EVENT, THE CAPE and LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES all failing, CHUCK barely surviving, and HARRY’S LAW only doing well enough to justify a move to a new home with the sparser, older audiences on Fridays. We think they’ll completely redo the night, leading off with their new hit reality show THE VOICE, and then trying to build on that lead-in with 2 new sitcoms that have great buzz: UP ALL NIGHT with Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett, and ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT’S ME CHELSEA, starring Laura Prepon and based on the bestselling Chelsea Handler book. With a strong, female-oriented backbone on the night, we think they’ll move PARENTHOOD over from Tuesday, where it’s been critically acclaimed but ratings challenged. All these moves should give them a significantly higher rating for the night than they had this year.
FOX will make a big change on Mondays by following HOUSE with the new ALCATRAZ, from JJ Abrams (LOST, FRINGE) and featuring LOST alums both in its cast (Jorge Garcia aka Hurley) and its writing staff. It’s a crime drama with a supernatural tinge, and those can be risky, garnering limited—although enthusiastic–audiences. But we think ALCATRAZ has a shot of catching the wider crowds that previously showed up for LOST and HEROES.
ABC, which generally wins the night with its combo of DANCING WITH THE STARS and CASTLE, has no reason to make any changes, and The CW will stick with its brand-name shows 90210 and GOSSIP GIRL, which hits their audience of Women 18-34.
Be sure to follow ShowbuzzDaily all through Upfront week: we’ll cover the actual network schedules as soon as they’re announced, with our own brand of instant expert analysis… and stay tuned for reviews of the shows you’ll be watching (or not) in the fall!
WANT MORE? Click on any link below to read predictions for another night:
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